Process of making electric batteries.



of Messccliusetts, have invented cc so and which for the some have greater capacity, and

tised. With this ob ect Stmict-ing of the as with the electrolytic solutici'i.

.50 duced internal resist-once during it;

EeATTiTEZ-BJIES.

Bio Drawing.

To all whom e't may canoe-m:

Be it ,mown that l, THOMAS W. B a citizen of the iliited States, Z'GSiLl'illg, Boston, iii the county of Sufiollt and Steve and useful improvements in froceseee of Making Electric Batteries; 3 do hereby declare the tollowiog to be e full, clear end exact description of the liii entioii, such as it opperteins to make and use the is,

The oreeent invention s to e batteries; and more particular or process of making the some! 5 lhe object oi' thepresent invention to devise on improved method oi." process of making electric batteries and especially betteries of sac-celled dry or semidry type which shell bemore eiiiciect operation, size or hell; shell. ll maintain e higher voltage and lower resist-once ti batteries constructed in accordance of the methods In retotore known and '9 oc- 'o View, the

oecii'o the process or method invention consists in. of making batteries hereinafter decorond more :osrticuleriy defined in the i has heretofore been the practice is. con- Well-imown bett of the socelled dry type, to which comprises the zinc ole-i ,or iriore layers of ebsoroeot or bibolm material, such as blotting mo o The soli carbon electrode or stick was thee centered in the can while the depolarizing and conducting mixture also previously moistened with the electrolyte, was tilled 40 around it. i have discovered thst 1' T add the depolarizing sod conductieg i while in a substeotioll dry con ice, om enabled to introduce a crossed amount oi mixture into the con mer one so around the carbon electrode, and are further enabled to compact this tightly undo? e heavy pressure which results in e ml stsntisl increase in the his or con the battery, and a higher voltege :er stages of discharge. 1 have also discovered that when the depolarizing and conducting mixture 1S free from soluble material so that there will be so dissolving of any of the compacted fixture with en accompanying Specification of Letters Ea iest.

' Application filed Jez uery 7, 19181 2t poweroctuoted Patented 31%;, 1918 Serial 2-10. 70,?20.

loosening or softening of the mixture Within the battery, the letter will tend to maintain in service a hi 'her voltageend lower internal resistance.

in constructing a well-known form of bettery in accord-once with my improved proc' ess, the depolarizing and conducting mixto; in a substantially dry condition, is packed mider very heavy pressure in the can and around the carbon element. Any suitable means or device may be employed, either hand or machine operated, preferably series or of tamoing rods mounted on 21 vertically reciprocating head. or carrierbeing used. When, as is preferred, the depolarizing and conducting mixture is .UHDlXEd. with any soluble meterizil, such as sol cmmoniac or other electrolytic chemical which would attack steel, the camping rods may of steel instead of Wood, was necessary when the mixture was first moistened with such an electrolyte. A. very substantially heavier pressure can be e plicd when steel rods are employed then when wood is used, as the latter are more yielding or elastic, besides being of comparatively short life,

in order to reduce the liability of any of ihe particles of depolarizing and conduct- 1 mixture passing through the insulating 1 N of blotting paper or other and. into contact with the zinc element, thus mternnlly short circuiting the battery and mining; it, 1 before filling the bettery to at this liemg with e paste made-0t flour, star h, or other suitable material and electrolytic solution.

After the battery has been filled to the height With the compacted mixture irst subject the material trolytic liquid is added iihere the r mixture. Asa matter of fact,

battery to a substantial vacuum, and then to apply the solution under pressure. I have found that .a vacuum of 28 inches of mercury maintained for three hours, and then followed by an applicationof the electrolytic solution under 70 lbs. pressure for ten hours was sufficient to thoroughly impregnate the battery with the electrolytic solution. I

The battery is finally sealed in any suitable manner.

Wherever in the specification and claims the mixture is referred to as dry this is to be understood as defining the absence of a sufficient quantity of moisture which would be necessary for the practical operation of the battery, or which would interfere with the proper compacting of the a slight moistening of the materials may be required in order to permit proper handling of the same, as well as for other reasons. 7

While the improved process has been described in connection with the manufacture of a so-called dry battery, in which the mixture is compacted in the first instance in a zinc can or similar container, it is 'to be understood that the invention is not necessarily to be limited thereto, but maybe used in the manufacture of other types of batteries or parts thereof, such, for example, as the bag and paste or semi-dry battery, socalled, in which the mixture Would be compacted around the carbon element and in a fabric bag or similar suitable container, held preferably in a mold during the compacting operation, and then inserted in the zinc element or can after which paste containing the electrolytic solution would be poured into the Nor-is the present invention limited to a process which includes all the steps above substantially can and around the bag.,

moving the excess,

described, or any particular steps, except as hereinafter recited in the claims.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is 1. The process of making dry batteries which consists in compacting tightly in a container and around the carbon element the depolarizing Gnixture in substantially dry condition and unmixed with soluble material, applying the solution of. electrolytic material to the compacted mixture, and sealing the cell. A

'2. The process of making dry batteries which consists in compacting tightly in a container-around the carbon element the depolarizing mixture in a substantially dry condition,

of the electrolytic liquid to thecompacted mixture, removing the excess, and sealing the cell. 3. The process which consists in compacting tightly in a" container around the carbon element the depolarizing mixture in a substantially dry condition, applying an excess of the electrolytic liquid under pressure to the compacted mixture, removing theexcess, and sealing the cell. I 4;. The process of making. dry batteries which consists in linin'g'the interior of the zinc container with absorbent and insulating material provided with a protective coating of paste, compacting tightly in the container and around the carbon element the depolarizing mixture in a dry condition and unmixed with soluble material, subjecting the battery to a ing an excess of the solution of electrolytic material under pressure to the battery, re-

and sealing the cell. THOMAS W. BYRNE.

substantial vacuum, apply-.

subjecting the compacted mixture .to a substantial vacuum, applying an excess of making dry batteries, 

